Summer Fun, Girls' Style

This is my beautiful Rachel in the vast ocean.  She loved it in the water and I couldn't resist taking her picture.

Abby with Nathanael in the water.  He would only get it the water if someone took him and held onto him.  Abby is so sweet to her brothers.  She really seems to enjoy interacting with her little brothers, for which this mama is very thankful.  

During a whirlwind trip to SC in July, we spent some time with friends and family.  This is Abby with her best friend from SC riding horses.

Rachel got the privilege of spending 3 weeks with her grandparents in Oregon at the beginning of the summer.  She really had a great time.  This pic is of Micah hugging her goodbye.  They are sweet buddies!

"Lovely picture" might be the sarcastic response I might get from Rachel about this picture.  I included it because her best friend is with her.  This is how Rachel likes to spend her summer, with one friend or another!

We tried a ballet fundraiser at the end of the summer.  The girls both needed pointe shoes for the fall, which are quite expensive, so we decided to bake for cash!  Each of us had a specialty baked good that we were in charge of and we learned a lot even as we made a little money for shoes.  Here are 7 dozen muffins, half banana chocolate chip and half blueberry, that one person ordered for a gathering.   :)

This was the end of a very long day at the State Fair.  We really had a great time, but by this time some of the kiddos are just exhausted.  They were given the choice to go home with grandparents or stay for a late concert.  A couple chose to stay but then regretted it.  Rachel is loving it, though it was the LOUDEST concert I have ever been to!!  Notice Abby on my lap down the aisle, covering her ears and head.   : /

Of course, for the girls, the biggest excitement for the summer is the musical!  This year, not only the girls, but Keenan and Micah participated in it.  This is Abby, Grandpa Obed, and Keenan, who played Davey.  They were the narrators of a 1940's adaption of Ruth from the Bible.  They did a great job!!!  We were so proud!  David wanted to get a shirt that proclaimed that Obed and Davey were in fact his kids!

I had to zoom to get this picture of Rachel dancing in Rahab the Musical, an original musical written by a very talented local fellow.  This was the High School group of kids that performed a retelling of the story of Rahab and Joshua's conquest of Jericho in the context of a group of actors trying to open a new theater in the 40's.  It was extremely well done.

Summer Fun, Boy Style

Daddy and the "littles" relaxing in the hammock together

This boy is so determined and resourceful.  If he wants something, he will do all that he can to get it.  He loves the computer, and often has to be corrected for getting in this chair.  This day, we let him play a simple game after one of the boys finished their game.  What a treat!

About every week, there is a new fort built in the backyard.  The boys love to build forts, but rarely actually play in them for more than a few minutes.  I guess the thrill is seeing it come together.  Notice the creativity here!

Another example of the engineering exploits in the backyard.

Two cuties fresh out of bed.  Good morning my sunshines!

At the beginning of the summer, we went camping with some friends.  We had a blast.  And if you call me, I'll tell you the hilarious tale of the persistent raccoon family.

Keenan is a sweet big brother and often helps out with Nathanael.  Here they are  taking a rest during a hike and checking out the scenery with the binoculars. 

This is not a great picture.  My parents came up to see the the kids in the musical and it just happened to  coincide  with the Kentucky State Fair.  So we took our almost annual trip to the sights and smells and thrills of the fair.  Above is Rachel (far left) and Micah (the litlte one beside her) on this hang gliding ride.  It look scary to this mama, and I probably would not have let him go on it, but David went on it first and gave it the ok.  And Micah loved it!!  He wanted to ride it over and over!  We really had a great time.  Thanks a bunch Mom and Dad!

Slip, slide or dive?  The boys are enjoying some water fun at my parents' house on a very hot July day!   We had a whirlwind trip to SC, vacationing here and there and visiting lots of friends and Melissa's side of the family.

Part of our whirlwind trip was a couple of days at the beach.  How much fun we all had!  Here is a cutie digging in the sand.  He didn't much like the waves but he sure did like digging, gathering shells, and watching his brothers and sisters play in the water.

Here is another cutie on the beach.  Micah lost that front tooth the second day in SC , and then lost the second one on the trip also!  I love those freckles!